Improvement in railroad track wrenches



P. L. GIBBS.

Railroad Track Wrenches No 137 910, PatentedApril15fl873.

AM. PHOTO-U'I'HOGRAPH/G ca Mn'ossa/m PRUCEss) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PIERRE L. GIBBS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT N RAILROAD TRACK WRENCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 137,910, dated April 15, 1873; application filed February 5, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PIERRE L. GIBBS, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented an Improved Railroad- Track Wrench, of which the following is a specification This wrench is especially designed for screwing up the nuts of fish-joints when laying a track. The object of the improvement is to enable the work to be accomplished very speedily, and consists of a peculiarly-formed socket whereby the wrench can be used for various-sized nuts.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of a wrench made according to my invention, and Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both figures.

A is the socket, which fits the nut to be screwed up. It is of circular form, and has within it at opposite points two angular projections, a to. These catch against the sides of the-nut and cause it to move with the socket. A frame, B, holds this socket and a handle, G, in position relatively to each other, to cause bevel-wheels, with which they are both furnished, to gear. '1 his handle'is situated at right angles to the socket, so that while the latter is in proximity to the rail the handle will be in convenient reach of a man standing. On the frame, over the socket, there is a piece, D, having two parallel upwardly-projecting sides, which constitute the bearings for a hook-shaped piece, E, termed a foot-plate. From the front of the piece D there project down two legs, G G. The footplate before alluded to is pivoted within its bearings so that it may be either dropped into the position shown in full outline in Fig. 1, or may be raised to occupy the position represented. by dot-ted lines in the same figure, and

shown also in Fig. 2. To suit different-sized rails the foot-plate may be pivoted at difierent points.

To use the implement the foot plate is thrown up by the foot of the operator, and the socket A is fitted to the nut to be screwed up, the legs G G resting on the flange of the rail. The foot-plate is then dropped, and in this position is held by the foot. Its hook, projecting over the head of the track, holds the implement in position, and also prevents the bolt on which the nut is being screwed from backing out from the rail, and by hearing against its outer side additional friction is produced on it, and it is insured against turning with the nut.

By making the socket of the wrench as described I provide for variations in the size of the nuts, and also facilitate the adjustment of the socket thereon.

for the purpose specified.

- PIERRE L. GIBBS.

Witnesses:

GODFREY ScHMrD, GEO. W. HILL. 

